Prophetess

Winter #2

by Keven Newsome

Book 2 of the Winter series.

One act of violence is not enough to fulfill Xaphan's plans. One near escape does not justify Winter's growing gift. There is more. She can feel it. The warnings swell within her. He's searching for someone. A person of promise...a person of prophecy. And Winter must find her first.

Genres: Fantasy

340 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

Keven Newsome is an author, musician, and theologian who writes fiction under the pen name Oliver D. King. With a music degree from William Carey University and a theology degree from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Keven has actively served in ministry as both pastor and worship leader. He is the author of the Winter series: Winter, Prophetess, Acolyte, and Mantle. This supernatural thriller series has been an award finalist for multiple awards. His short stories can be found in the Aquasynthesis anthology and Avenir Eclectia Vol. 1. He is also the author of We Are One, a non-fictional study on generational ministry (published as KW Newsome). Though originally from south Mississippi, Keven now lives in Camden, South Carolina with his wife and children.

Connect with Keven online:

oliverdking.com
www.facebook.com/oliverdkingauthor
coffeecupadventures.wordpress.com

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't wait for this book to come out and I was not disappointed. Started reading on my Kindle driving back from Tn. and finished it up the next day. I will say that at times it does move a little slow and some of it seems to be filler but that is only a very small portion of the book and didn't spoil it for me at all. As in the first book, you gradually find out more and more about Winter's history. I just wanted it to hurry up but there is still plenty left for the next book. I was surprised at a part of the ending so can't wait for the next one to come out. Just wish it wasn't so long away.

[Varian Rose]

I am not the target audience for this book.

I went into Prophetess knowing that. I knew it was Christian fiction, but figured that it would be a good story that I could enjoy, difference in faith or no.

One of the reasons I loved Winter so much was because it was so unique compared to other Christian fiction I've read. I loved the characters and story, loved the conflict and how it talked about how spiritual gifts aren't all sunshine and rainbows.

I liked the story, where it was going, but parts of it just felt so cliche, and it felt like there were only two options, "God vs. Satan," and every other faith out there that wasn't Christianity fell under "Satan."

I felt like this book was full of "go back to Christianity if you're not Christian" signs. I found that very depressing, because all I wanted was a good story.

Pre-read thoughts hidden in spoiler:

I am...very nervous about reading this. I loved Winter, absolutely loved it. Loved the stories and characters.

This is the first book of Christian fiction I've read since I converted to Kemetic Paganism. I'm wondering how much straight up "God talk" there will be, and if there is, will it hit my triggers?

I really hope that I can read it just fine, and enjoy the story as it is.

[Kristen Stieffel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I waited so long to read the sequel to Winter, a book I love dearly. Prophetess is one of the most amazing pieces of fiction artistry I have ever read. Can I give it six stars?

The book starts out with a puzzle to solve, and it rolls along, picking up speed until by the time you pass the halfway point, you are barreling at breakneck speed to an inevitable ending that is gripping, chilling, and jaw-dropping.

Newsome has mastered pacing. As in book one of this series, he tells two parallel stories set four years apart. This technique is hard to pull off, but he does it brilliantly. Every time he breaks from one story to return to the other, it’s at a moment when you cry “no!” because you want to know what happens next, but you also want to return to the other story, so you carom back and forth between them like a pinball, as the story bats you first one way and then the other full-tilt to the astounding climax.

Phew.

When book three comes out, it goes to the top of my reading list. Immediately.

[Ralene Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting for the followup to Winter forever! I was not disappointed. This is another exciting story that also defines Winter in more detail as she grows in her powers and purpose. While I didn't find the plot quite as enthralling as the first book, the familiar characters and interesting twists still made for a great read. Plot-wise, this book will be a good bridge between the first and third books. I can't wait to see what comes next!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dang! That was good. I don't know if I should give it four stars or five stars so, I will give it 4.5 stars.

[Maureen Koeppel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than the first book

I really, really liked this second book and I was thrilled to discover there is actually four books in the series. I look forward to reading the rest.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prophetess is the continuation of the amazing and extraordinary adventures of Winter. We see Winter beginning to mature in her walk with God. She is trusting God more and learning how to use the gifts of Prophesy given to her by God. She is daring to continue to walk outside of her comfort zone and learn more and more each day of the purpose that God has for her life.

We watch with pure delight and quiet anticipation as Winter deepens and stretches her faith in God each day. She continues to transform on the inside and the outside into the beautiful and spectacular creation that He made her to become. What a delight it is to peer into her soft heart that is desperately reaching out to know more of who God is and what He wants her to do. Her tenderness and patience towards her precious and hurting friend Kaci is proof of just how far Winter has come from her days of being angry at God and running as far away from Him as she possibly could.

She is learning through an independent study course with the head of her department what it means to be a Prophet of God. She is discovering the special talents and abilities that the Prophets in the Old Testament used to accomplish God's will for His people and is blown away by what God will do through her to accomplish the task that He has for her life. Being dumfounded and perhaps a little scared by these new abilities of hers is a bit of an understatement, but she know that everything will work out as it is supposed to with God's help and direction.

This chapter of Winter's new life begins with her being pulled into an on-going investigation of hiding the only surviving victim of a horrible school shooting that took place years ago in a town far from Winter. This little girl was the only person who walked out of her classroom alive after her teacher and classmates were viciously gunned down. The purpose of this shooting was not known at the time, but the FBI knew enough to keep this little girl safe and to place her in protective custody.

In the end, Winter already knew who this girl was, and she was already successfully yet unknowingly protecting her. God reveals who this little girl is to Winter, and she dumbfounded once again by His grace, His mercy, His love, and His amazing purpose for her life. He does just what God is so good at doing and that is to show us just how important, precious, valuable, and loved we truly are despite what we see in the mirror which is based on our pathetic human standards. God shows Winter who she really is and just how vital her role was in helping this little girl fulfill hers.

We are also granted a continued look into Winter's past to see just how far she has come from where she was hating and running away from God after the death of her mother to finally reaching a turning point in her life and the events that brought about that change. We see how her heart is softening to the Master's touch, and how she is beginning to desire that He use her in His will. Knowing how one life can impact another is motivating her to look beyond herself and learn how to reach out to those around her. God is creating the heart of a servant in this amazing and special person known as Winter, and I am so eager to watch her transform as He molds and creates her into what she was always meant to be.

Our lives are irrevocably and mysteriously intertwined with each other here on earth. When we hurt, others around us hurt as well. When we are angry, that anger is contagious and spreads like wildfire. When we love, that love brings healing and hope to everyone we meet. When we completely embrace God in our life, we forever transform those around us through our faith, hope, and love. So, let us seek out God and allow Him to reveal to us the role we have to play in this life in order to show each other just how beautiful, breath-taking, and important we are to each other. We need to be willing to be God's hands and feet in this horribly deceived and deeply hurting world. We need to take every opportunity to show each other how passionately and unabashedly God loves them and wants them. Everyone has a purpose for which they were born and we need to nurture that beautiful creation that has been torn apart and left for dead and breathe life back into it and then watch how God will use them to perform mind-blowing miracles and astonishing acts of redemption.

This story has already won a place in my heart as well as on my bookshelf, and I eagerly anticipate the next chapter of this incredibly touching and boundlessly encouraging ride. I know that anyone who reads these two books will have their heart soar with hope and encouragement and know what it feels like to watch a butterfly emerge from its cocoon. The sheer beauty of the transformation may initially blind them but they will soon be excitedly searching around to catch another glimpse of the magnificent new creation and to see what happens next.

[D.M. Dutcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good follow-up to the previous book Winter that explains more about both Winter's mission and her troubled past, but the plot is a little worse than the first book. Interesting ending is going to make the third book in the series nifty, though.

It's shortly after the trauma of the first book. Winter and Kaci are both dealing with the aftereffects of Xaphan's plot, but it looks like the stakes have been raised. Xaphan's plan is slowly being revealed, and he's not alone. There's a shadowy organization backing him, and they both are looking for something very important: a young woman who has a tremendous spiritual destiny that awaits her. Winter tries desperately to locate her, but can she do so in time?

The strength in this book is the past scenes with Winter. They are very well done, reveal a lot about her, and are realistic. It's so hard for a Christian writer to make realistic unbelieving characters, and Keven does strikingly well with the flashbacks. This was a strength in the first book too, but it's done even a little better in here in my opinion.

The adding of an ultimate purpose to both Winter's gift and the villain's aims adds a bit, and the prophecy aspect of her powers is well-done for the most part. It's not an "I win" button, and you still worry about Winter despite her gift manifesting sporadically.

The plot suffers from the dreaded "bridging book" disease, though. The first book was really good at it, and this one starts out very dynamically with a prologue that actually manages to grab your interest. No mean feat since with many books you can ignore the prologue and miss nothing. But the plot doesn't really seem to pop as much as the first, and feels more about setting up the finale. It was more realistic for Winter to try to stop something on her campus then than how she acts on her own now, and there were a couple scenes which didn't really make much sense for her to do.

The ending was interesting. Really interesting, as it comes a bit out of left field. I think it will make you reread Winter, and it makes sense. Not sure if it could have been pointed to a little better though. It's gonna make the third book interesting, as well as a certain character that's introduced here who is a bit of an enigma.

So I liked it. I wish the plot was a little better, but if you liked the first you'll like this, and there's enough interesting twists set up to make you look forwards to the last book.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

The summer hadn’t been long enough for Winter Maessen to forget all that happened to her the first year at Tishbe University. Her freshman year was more than adjusting to campus life and learning new study habits. Winter now has to put behind the horrible things that happened to her and her friends Kaci, Summer and Peter. Life goes on, and hopefully this sophomore year will be different, or will it?

New visions and premonitions smack her right in the face the first day back. Her arch enemy from her tragic freshman year is leaving a supernatural trail that plunges Winter and her friends into more danger than they could have dreamed. Winter must grapple with the fact that she is indeed a prophetess and that God has a plan and a purpose for her at the university. Dealing with this draws Winter deeper and deeper into the hideous plans her arch enemy has for the university. Can Winter and her friends stop this demonic madman before another tragedy takes place?

Keven Newsome’s second book in the life of Winter Maessen is more than an action paranormal thriller. It is a picture into the life of a young girl who desperately wants to be normal, loved and accepted; but life events spin her in directions that take her breath away at times. Some of these events even want to extinguish her life before it gets very far. Prophetess will keep you spell bound in a way that will touch your heart. It’s about friends and love. Above all, it’s about God’s purpose for living and doing what he’s called you to do, however hard. Newsome has cleverly put together another Christian paranormal novel that will pull you in almost like magic. There is a twist at the end that will sneak up and slap you square in the face. So hang on, this is a great read. I’m hoping book three is not too long in coming out.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed Winter...but have to say Prophetess blew me away. I have been analyzing and asking myself why, and I think it is because the character Winter became so real to me. The author moves to a new level in this book, and must have gotten to know her better himself. I couldn't put the book down many nights...wanting to know what happened in her past, followed by what was happening to her now. It left me with that feeling we love as readers when books are done...like I am missing someone. If I were to want to change anything it would be for the darkness to become more real. As I was in the midst of reading this, it took a turn when real life events hit so very close to this novel, in a very eery way. I was reminded of the light and darkness that we truly walk in. In both books, that darkness is a little too fantastical for me. The real is so sinister, sneaky and hidden in bits of truth. The fantastical didn't overshadow the plot or the characters, it just doesn't match the realism Winter and Christianity give to the story. Bravo once again...and I really hope I won't have to wait much longer to have Winter back by my side.

[Pauline Creeden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Winter. LOVED that book. But for me, this one took all the parts that I didn't much care for in the first book and brought it to a crescendo. I read Christian Fiction often, but at times this book was too heavy handed in that department. In trying to make the book full of twists and turns, it sort of ran around too aimlessly for me. I'm not sure I'll stick around for the next installment. *A free copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest, not necessarily positive review*

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first, and definitely will be reading the next one.